More About East Timor

I've seen my
country, East Timor, mired in conflict. There were times when hopes were raised
and then crushed. I have lived through three major periods of violence that swept
Timor from tip to tip, from 1975 up until the most recent conflict in 2006 to
2007.

Since its independence from Indonesia in 2002, East Timor has faced conflict among neighbors and outside groups. Today, students at the Comoro/Haslaran Conossian School reflect on peace. Photo by Jennifer Hardy/CRS

In 1975, a civil
war erupted between the two political parties and created an opportunity for
neighboring Indonesia to invade, occupy and annex the territory—a conflict that
lasted 24 years and resulted in more than 200,000 deaths.

In January 1999,
then-President B.J. Habibie of Indonesia bowed to international pressure and
announced that a referendum was needed to end the East Timor conflict. He
presented two options: an autonomous region of Indonesia or independence. The
majority of Timorese voted for independence. The departing Indonesian military
and their Timorese militiamen carried out earth-scorching attacks that
triggered waves of violence across the country. The violence destroyed most of
the infrastructure, killed 1,200 and displaced 300,000 (about one-third of the
population), who then sought refuge in neighboring West Timor of Indonesia.

The 2006 to 2007
political–military crisis and general elections led to widespread violence
across the country and displaced 150,000 people from their homes. At the time,
the United Nations estimated it would take at least 10 years to resettle those
people. But, under the leadership of Prime Minister Kay Rala Xannana Gusmão and his newly
formed government, the displacement crisis was resolved in fewer than 3 years.
The people of East Timor have slowly moved forward from this pattern of
violence.

Our history is
flush with conflicts that have occurred each time we have faced a major
political change, from freeing ourselves from colonial power, to enduring
occupation by a foreign country, to, most recently, going through a democratic
process of general elections in 2007. Violence, destruction and loss of life have
become part of everyone's experience in Timor. Even after independence, this
history held the Timorese people in fear as we approached another cycle of
general elections in 2012.

'We Are Grateful to Catholics in the United States'

In this climate
of fear and distrust, the Church and Catholic Relief Services stepped into
action to do everything possible to advocate for peace and to give hope to the
Timorese people for a peaceful election process in 2012. On February 21, 2012,
when the Church and CRS launched a campaign of 111 days of prayer for peaceful
elections, a crowd of 10,000 people flooded the main road with candles in their
hands, walking under the hot tropical sun, echoing songs and prayers for peace.

Young people in East Timor participate in a 2-day camp to discuss how to promote peace in their homes, communities and country. Photo by Jennifer Hardy/CRS

A day after
watching the procession that was broadcast on television, Father Justiniano de
Sousa of the Salesians of Don Bosco told me, "It was very amazing. There
couldn't be a more powerful message for peace in this war-torn land of Timor."

The truth is,
peace has prevailed in East Timor throughout the hectic electoral cycle, after
two rounds of presidential elections in May and the parliamentary elections in
July. A new national parliament was installed in August 2012. Despite the many
rounds of voting and debates about the candidates, everything remains peaceful.
It seems that major violence will not erupt.

"We are very,
very grateful to the Catholics in the United States, who, through CRS, joined
the Church in Timor in prayer for a peaceful election," says Sister Claire
Garcillano of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres.

The Timorese can
now celebrate the peace and stability that we have prayed for these many years.
But the path forward in this little half-island nation is still challenging.
Along with difficulties such as the fragility of state institutions and lack of
a skilled and experienced work force, more than 50 percent of our people still
live in absolute poverty.

Despite the odds,
East Timor, which is overwhelmingly inhabited by Catholics, is ready to face
the future with hope. And CRS will continue to work in Timor, helping to move
those hopes closer to peace and a better life for people around the country.

Florentino Sarmento is the
partner relations and capacity-building manager for CRS in East Timor. He has
worked for the agency for more
than 30 years.